1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to restorative finishes and coatings for wooden tool handles. More precisely it relates to a system of restoring a smoother yet textured surface to a wooden tool handle made rough by cracking and splintering caused by weathering. The system allows use of common hand-held hair dryers which are normally not adequate for shrinking heat shrinkable tubing used as the restorative coating over the rough tool handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An age old problem for the users of hand tools with wooden handles, such as shovels, rakes and the like, has been the occurrence of weathering and damage to the handles of the tools. Age and weathering eventually cause splinters, cracks, bumps and a generally uneven surface to occur on the handles which make gripping of the handle with the bare hands uncomfortable and to cause a high incidence of blisters. Although gloves may be worn by the user of such handles, often the ambient temperature is so high it is uncomfortable to wear them. This is especially true during the summer gardening and farming months.
The early stages of the defects on the handle are generally superficial and do not substantially reduce the structural strength. The handle is still sufficiently strong, and the condition normally does not warrant a new handle from a structural strength standpoint.
One method which is currently in use for providing a new finish to rough wooden handles is the time consuming and messy process of refinishing. Refinishing involves sanding, the filling of cracks, and varnishing. This process is often so time consuming and inconvenient that the user will generally not put out the effort.
Another method to solve the above problem is to replace the old handle with a new handle altogether. Although replacing the old handle may be an ideal solution for some, it is too involved and costly for others since a new handle can often cost as much as the original cost of the entire tool and take a substantial amount of time and skill to install.
Although the use of heat shrinkable tubing on tool handles is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,433 to Plummer, the disclosure is exclusively concerned with providing a handle protecting jacketing which also provides an enhanced gripping surface. There are currently a great number of rough tool handles which need restoring since much of the damage has already occurred. Also, although Plummer does show his shrink tubing being capable of closely conforming to a factory shaped or contoured handle shaped other than cylindrical or round, he fails to teach how to create a textured gripping surface on once originally smooth cylindrical round handles, the shape of the vast majority of wooden tool handles.
Although the Plummer method of protecting a tool handle through the use of heat shrinkable tubing is similar in nature to my system, Plummer also fails to teach a practical method of heating his heat shrinkable tubing which could be utilized by the average person such as a home owner, house wife, farmer or the like. Most individuals do not own or have available to them a professional high temperature heat air gun or gas fueled flame torch specifically adapted for tasks such as heating devices such as heat shrinkable tubing. The lack of a suitable heating device in the past has been, and currently is a major problem for the majority of individuals who wish use heat shrinkable tubing for one reason or another. If an individual has no means of heating heat shrinkable tubing, the tubing is essentially useless for any purpose.
In view of the alternatives currently available on the market for restoring rough wooden tool handles, I have developed an inexpensive and uncomplicated system which allows most individuals to quickly restore a relatively smooth yet textured non-slip finish to a rough tool handle without having to have a high degree of skill or having to purchase any expensive equipment.